February 27, 2015

I am so please to introduce brand new author Mia Storm with her debut release, Getting Dirty.

Releasing on March 19th

Dirty

A poem by Blaire Leon

If sex is dirty, why would I do it with someone
I love?

If sex is dirty, then didn’t we all come from
the dirt?

What if I like the dirt?

What if I want to get dirty?

What if I want to roll in the mud until I’m so
fucking filthy that I’ll never be clean again?

When twenty-five-year-old graduate assistant Caiden Brenner
asked Blaire Leon how old she was, she said she was a senior. He chose to
believe she meant in college. They connect over Lord Byron’s Don
Juan and, as their conversations become increasingly thicker with
sexual innuendo, Caiden finds himself obsessing over a totally off-limits
undergrad who’s bold, beautiful, brilliant, and one of the most passionate
poets he’s ever met.

But it turns out Blaire hasn't been totally honest. She's the
seventeen-year-old valedictorian of her high school class, taking courses at
Sierra State while awaiting her acceptance to Stanford.

Will Caiden get too deeply into Blaire to back away before he
finds out the truth? Or will their connection be enough to seduce him into
risking his entire future on Jail Bait?

“What year
are you?” I don’t even realize I’ve said it until it’s out of my mouth.

Her eyes
flick from the book to mine. “A senior.”

I feel my
eyebrows arch before I can stop them. “You look younger.”

She bites
her lips between her teeth for a moment. “Is that good or bad?”

“Neither, I
suppose.” But my insides burn, knowing that she’s not as off-limits as I
originally thought. It’s nearing the end of January. Commencement will be here
soon enough. She graduates and all bets are off.

“So…” she
says, twisting a finger into the ends of her hair. “I know you like old, dead
poets. How do you feel about hearing something fresher?”

I lean
toward her. “Such as?”

“I’m reading
in a poetry slam tonight. It’s just something over at Tino’s in Jonestown on
the fourth Friday of every month. There’s no prize money or anything, but I
perform something new pretty much every month.”

“A poetry
slam…” I want to say yes in the worst way, but it feels dangerously like a
date.

She must
read the hesitation in my eyes. “If it’s too weird, no worries. I just thought,
since you like poetry…”

She leaves
the thought dangling. Like a noose. And I jump right into it. “Yeah. Why not?”

The answer
to that rhetorical question is that it’s not May yet and she hasn’t graduated.
I’m risking everything I’ve worked the last three years toward. My entire
future. But the voice of reason is being drowned out by the raging waves of
something rolling up from the deepest layers of my being like an undertow.
Something base and essential. And unrelenting.

“Do you want
to meet me there?” she asks, standing from her seat and giving me a better view
of the entire exquisite length of her.

“Yeah…that’s
probably best.” Plausible deniability. No, Dr. Duncan, I didn’t have any clue
she’d be there. Just went to hear the poetry.

“Great,” she
says as she gathers her book and shoves it in her bag. “It starts at nine.
There are usually five or six poets and it’s a random draw, so I don’t know
what time I’ll be reading.”

I nod
without standing, no longer able to tame my erection. “I’ll be there at nine.”

Mia Storm is a hopeless romantic who is always searching for
her happy ending. Sometimes she’s forced to make one up. When that happens,
she’s thrilled to be able to share those stories with her readers. She lives in
California and spends much of her time in the sun with a book in one hand and a
mug of black coffee in the other, or hiking the trails in Yosemite. Connect
with her online at MiaStormAuthor.blogspot.com , on Twitter at @MiaStormAuthor,
and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MiaStormAuthor.

I'm on my way today to Philadelphia to attend Apollycon - OMG! I can't believe it's finally here. I first learned about it while in line at BEA the end of May to get my ARC of The Return signed. And, now The Return is out to the world and it's time to hit the ultimate book release party. If you're in the area, you should stop by. The public signing is free!

ApollyCon Featured Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

About the Author

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Books

Recent Release

It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody – which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to “puree”. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of an ancient myth is gunning for her.

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.

Leila’s
years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she
didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most
famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a
knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about
to begin…

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach
stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t
like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows
she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against
him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new
bride could be the very thing that dooms them both…

This was everything I needed and so much more. It's been so long since I spent time in the Night Huntress world, and even longer since I spent some quality time with my second favorite hero in it - Vlad (second only to Bones, who will always have my heart). This book... my goodness. There was action and danger and... VLAD. In all his ruthless, sexy, overprotective glory. Oh, and in case you were wondering - yes. Cat and Bones do make an appearance.

In Bound By Flames, Vlad is still out searching for his arch nemesis, and looking to put him in the ground. Permanently this time. And, now that Leila is a vampire too, she doesn't have things like her mortality to worry him constantly. She can be even more of a help to him. Except, for some reason, Vlad's overprotectiveness is at an all-time high, and it's driving Leila nuts. She wants to use her gifts to find the bad guys, but Vlad only wants her to stay as far away from the action as possible.

On one hand, I can sympathize with Vlad. The only other woman he married in his very long life killed herself due to the stress of living with a vampire. Now, Vlad is in love again, and this time, it's even stronger and deeper. And, he's terrified he's going to lose Leila like he did his first wife. Fear isn't an emotion Vlad knows what to do with. He's Vlad the Impaler, for crying out loud. Vlad doesn't get afraid. He gets pissed and flammable.

Leila is just coming into her own. She hasn't been a vampire for long. Nor has she been Vlad's wife for long. But, she seems to have taken to both roles pretty easily. Now that Vlad has fully committed to her, Leila is all in. She wants to be the queen of the castle in every way, not just the domestic ones. She wants to be Vlad's partner in all things, including his efforts to find and kill his greatest enemy. Leila's tough. She has dealt with a lot in her young life, and now that she's found the love of her life, she wants to put herself out there and help fight all the bad things by her husband's side.

But, that puts Leila too close to the action for Vlad's liking. He goes to extreme lengths to suppress her abilities so that she doesn't have a good excuse to help him. Unfortunately, all the bad guys know what Vlad's weak spot is now. And, it's her.

Leila goes through A LOT in Bound By Flames. Like, more than I can fathom any person going through. Despite her being a vampire and being able to tolerate a lot more physically than a mere human, the psychological effects from some of that stuff are enough to seriously mess up anyone, vampire or otherwise. When I said this chick was tough, I meant it. Not only does she soldier through and come out the other side, it seems like she comes through stronger and more capable.

And, Vlad, when faced with the possibility of losing his wife - again - he decides that, maybe having a partner is better than having a prisoner. See? Even a centuries old vampire can change his ways.

It's the events that come to light during the epic battle at the end that set the stage for the last book in the Night Prince series. And these events are total game changers.

I am so in love with this series and these characters. I don't ever want them to end.

February 25, 2015

It might be cold outside, but I'm warm inside because it's time for me to satisfy my Chicagoland Vampires obsession. DARK DEBT is the eleventh book in the series, due out on March 3. We've got lots of good stuff for you here too. Check out my review, enter to win a fantastic Chicagoland Vampires prize pack, and then hop on over to Chloe Neill's web site and enter to win the grand prize!

(From Goodreads) A vampire never gets
old. But neither do his enemies. When a figure from Ethan's dark past
makes a splashy debut in Chicago, Merit and her Master don't know
whether he's friend or foe. But they'll have to figure out soon, because
trouble is brewing in the Windy City.

At an exclusive society
soiree attended by the upper echelons of the human and supernatural
worlds, Merit and Ethan barely stop the assassination of a guest. When
the target turns out to be a shady businessman with a criminal edge,
Merit suspects a human vendetta. But the assassins have fangs....

The connections to Chicago's Houses go deeper than Merit knows, and even one wrong move could be her last....

I love the direction that Chloe Neill has taken her Chicagoland Vampires series. After eleven books, you have to expect the characters to grow and change as they go through different experiences together. And, yet, I always see glimpses of the characters they were in book 1 shining through from time to time. Which is fortunate, because I fell in love with Merit, Ethan, Mallory and the gang from the very beginning.

Ethan is freaking out - in his very controlled Ethan way - because it appears his maker Balthasar is back from the dead. And, he. Is. Pissed. As if a centuries-old cranky vampire isn't enough, now Ethan and Cadogan has a major criminal enterprise gunning for them after they step in to help out Morgan. Just another day at the office.

Let's face it. I read this series because... METHAN. Ethan and Merit are one of my favorite bookish couples of all time. Especially now that they seem to have finally found their groove. The drama in the Chicagoland Vampires books no longer come from Ethan and Merit's on again, off again relationship. The drama now comes entirely from the situations developing around them as their world continues to adapt to the realization that supernatural beings are real.

Although relationship drama is good sometimes, to be honest, I'm really liking the lack of it in this series now. The various people and organizations out there vying to take down Cadogan House cause enough danger and peril that I get to read about Ethan in uber-protective mode when it comes to Merit, which is SO much better. Protective, concerned alpha male Ethan is so hot.

"You're my future wife and the mother of my future child. I will well protect you against any threat, living, dead, or undead, just as I promised in my oath to this house."

Just when Ethan and Merit have conquered the GP debacle and Ethan is starting out in the newly created American Masters group, it seems a new criminal empire called The Circle has cropped up. Even worse, it seems to have sunk its claws into Morgan and Navarre House. Navarre owes a debt they're having a hard time paying. There's been no love lost between Cadogan and Navarre, but that doesn't stop Ethan from offering assistance.

It was so good to hear from Morgan again. He was a much more prominent character in earlier books, then almost disappeared with only a mention here and there. Morgan is a fascinating character. He's a green Master. He's kind of the "bad boy" Master of the three in Chicago. He's quiet and stoic and he has this weird mental connection with Merit that's never been explained. I was so excited that Morgan was back and that we were going to get to spend some time with him.

"Look up," he said, tilting my chin upward. "There is always light." Morgan said quietly. "The stars are always shining, even if we can't see them."

Ethan is usually very composed, but when his ruthless maker Balthasar shows up and starts wreaking havoc around Chicago, Ethan kind of loses it a bit. It was good to see him so affected by something. Especially when Balthasar comes after Merit in a way that really violates her. In addition to Merit, Ethan is completely shaken by this, and I really liked seeing him off kilter.

The usual characters of Mallory, Catcher, Jeff, Chuck, Luc and Lindsay are present in this book too. They all have their roles to play, especially Mallory and Catcher. It's good to see they've gotten past the nasty business Mallory was into a few books back, and relationships have been knitted back together again.

I will NEVER get tired of the Chicagoland Vampires series. As long as Chloe writes them, I'll read them.

This book... Man, this book just got to me. If you haven't yet, check out my review of K. Bromberg's SLOW BURN. This may be the best thing I will read this year. And, it's now out, so you can experience it too. If you need any more convincing, check out the excerpt below, and then go buy it! And, don't forget to enter to win a $500 Amazon gift card!

Reeling from the sudden loss of her sister, Haddie Montgomery has sworn
off relationships. All she wanted from Beckett Daniels was a sexy
distraction to help her escape her pain for just a little while....There
weren’t supposed to be any strings attached—so why can’t she shake the
memory of that unforgettable night from her thoughts? Or the taste of
his kiss from her lips?

No matter how hard Haddie tries to
forget about him, Becks relentlessly tries to prove that she should
start living for today. But she is determined to avoid romantic
commitment, and she can always use her ex-boyfriend’s reappearance to
help snuff out the slow burn within her that Becks has sparked....

Or will fate force her to realize that this kind of connection doesn’t
come along very often and a chance at love is worth the risk?

“Yeah. That’s one way to put it. Is there something else you called for besides trying to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong?”I open my mouth and then shut it, unsure how calling him because I just needed to hear his voice has devolved so quickly into this. Into me scrambling for words I can’t find to fix shit that doesn’t need fixing.Because I don’t want this. Don’t want him.“Well then, if you want to actually talk instead of pull this ridiculous bullshit, I’m here for you…but Had…? Whatever this is here…this passive aggressive crap? I don’t do too well with that. We had our one night. You made it quite clear you didn’t want anything more than that so you don’t get to call me up and question what I might or might not be doing with anybody else. You want no strings? Then cut the ties…but frankly I don’t think you know what the fuck you want so until you figure your shit out, I think it’s best that we say good night before we make a bad situation even worse.”“Wait!” Desperation rings in my voice in the single word. And I hate myself for sounding like this but I’m so lonely, so scared and just want the comfort I know he can bring me right now.I wait for the sound of the dial tone to assault my ears. Wait for the incessant beep that reaffirms why I have barbed wire wrapped around my heart – painful but necessary. But there is nothing for a few moments until I hear the phone scrape against the stubble on his face.And I wait…my throat burning with the tears I want to shed but am so sick of. The ones that no longer bring me comfort.“I’m here, Haddie. I’m not going anywhere, okay?” The timbre of his voice carries his concern and sympathy to me through the line.The incoherent sound I make is all I can offer in thank you to him for not hanging up on me. For not giving up on me.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

(From Goodreads) Shiori Hirano and Knox
Lofgren are left to run the martial arts program at Black Arts while
Ronin Black travels. On the surface, the two highest ranked belts appear
to cooperate—but in private, they butt heads constantly, despite the
undeniable attraction between them. Soon their power exchanges start to
make for a sweltering dynamic in the bedroom…

At first Knox is
shocked to be living out his submissive desires, but Shiori sets out to
prove that embracing his true sexual nature doesn’t make him a weak man.
But even while their sexual relationship grants him a power and
fulfillment he finds surprising, there’s no training regimen for the
fight that comes with loving a strong woman…

Ever since Shiori Hirano came on to the scene at the end of Bound, it seemed that she and Knox were heading for a reckoning of some sort. I've always said that passion is passion whether it manifests as lust or anger (and one usually morphs into the other). Shiori and Knox were constantly at each others' throats both literally and figuratively from the very beginning. But, you always got the impression that there was something more there. Turns out, you would be right. Unraveled finally tells their story.

While Ronin's talent may have been with the ropes, Shiori's is with the whip. She's a dominatrix, and she's looking for a new place to play in Colorado. Knox knows there's something about her. With Ronin on vacation, Knox is running the dojo, so he is having to work around Shiori closer than ever before. There are moments when things between them are... different. But, Shiori is Ronin's sister, and he thinks he is way too manly to ever play submissive to her domme.

For once, this story is about the female MC showing the male MC who he really is. Sorta. The thing is, Knox pretty much already knows who he is. He is a crazy amazing martial artist. He's a smart businessman. He spends his spare time doling out pain to those who want it at Ronin's club. But, Shiori thinks he's missing something, and when she confronts him about it, he doesn't take it well.

I really liked Shiori's way of handling Knox. She knows he has a lot of pride. They did a lot of talking about their roles in their relationship, which is nice for a change. In relationships like theirs, conversation is important, but especially for these two. Outside of the bedroom, Shiori and Knox work together. Knox is technically her boss.

I don't know many couples that could handle the constant role reversal that these two have. At work, Knox is in charge. At home, it's Shiori. I would get whiplash and wonder if I would ever forget where I was and what I was supposed to be doing. Hence, the necessity for all the conversation. But, even all that conversation can't handle all the contingencies. They run into some bumps in the road when things with Ronin's side MMA business start to involve Shiori in some personal ways. The woman who is always in control suddenly feels very out of control, and her actions reflect that.

Honestly, it was nice seeing Shiori out of her element for a change. Ronin and Shiori are very similar in a lot of ways. They are very in control of their feelings and their actions, until they meet someone who very unexpectedly turns their worlds upside down. For Ronin, that was Amery. For Shiori, it's Knox. Shiori and Knox are explosive, and I loved every minute of watching them discover how great they were together.

At its core, Unraveled is a really fantastic love story. It's a story about discovering who you are, and about realizing it's okay to be more than one thing. And, it's a story about control and knowing when to give it up. Groundwork was laid for future stories in this series, and I'm completely on board for whatever Lorelei James has planned next.

February 23, 2015

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves
make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's
not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

His
life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment,
including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s
conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give
and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others”
category. He’s made a vow that the day he meets a woman who could sucker
him into falling in love will be the day he runs away.

Garth’s
plan has one flaw. What happens when he’s already fallen hard for a girl
before the warning signs and red flags go up? What happens when the
love he’s avoided his entire life brings him to his knees? What happens
when Garth Black lets the dirtiest four letter word he’s ever known into
his dark, lonely life?

This cowboy’s about to find out he can
control some things, and he can’t control others. Number one on the what
he can’t control list?

Love.

If ever there was a character who just needed a hug, it's Garth Black. We had some insight into his tortured upbringing in the first two books of this series, but we always saw Garth through his best friend Jesse's eyes, so we never got the whole story. Since Finders Keepers is told entirely from Garth's POV, we finally get the whole story, and there are parts of it that I wish I didn't know. It broke my heart.

Garth and Josie have loved each other since they were five. But, they've never told the other how they felt. Garth thought he wasn't good enough for her, and Josie thought Garth didn't like her like that. With Jesse and Rowen living hundreds of miles away, when tragedy strikes Garth, Josie is there to help him pick up the pieces. And, once they have the opportunity to spend some time together, everything from their past comes out. But, is it too late? Garth is as manly as they come. He's tall, dark and handsome. He can ride a bull, beat any man in a fight, and make a bottle of whiskey his bitch. And, he's only 21. But, this man has never been shown love. His mother took off when he was little and his dad is in the running for Worst Father EVER. Garth is the town trash. No one has ever shown him compassion or love or acceptance. I just can't even imagine that.

Garth's descriptions of his childhood and how his father treated him absolutely split my heart wide open. I had never wished a character was real more than I wished Garth was real. I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and feed him a cookie.

Josie is one of the best kinds of female main characters. This chick is ballsy. She takes crap from no one, and when she starts spending more time around Garth, she gets a lot of crap from a lot of different sources. Josie is unfailingly loyal. She is convinced of Garth's goodness and light, and she doesn't allow anyone to dispute that - not even Garth himself. Josie can be very persuasive. I loved that about her.

Garth has a martyr complex the size of Montana. He decided a long time ago that he's not good enough for Josie, so despite loving her more than anyone else on the planet, he purposely pushes her away (literally and figuratively) so that she can have a chance with a guy he deems worthy of her. After that hug I want to give him? I want to smack him around a bit. GAH, this man is frustrating. His view of the world has been tempered by his own personal experiences with his father. I get that. But, at the same time, Garth has proven again and again that he's not a stupid man. Just because his father didn't know how to show anyone real love doesn't mean the son is destined to the same fate. I wanted to shake that knowledge into him. Instead, I just ended up yelling at my Kindle a lot.

There was a short time in the book when it seemed Garth and Josie finally got it together. THAT Garth was absolute perfection. He didn't change so much that what made him and Josie so great together was lost. They still gave each other snark and always grappled for the upper hand. But, with Garth's acceptance of something good and pure and right in his life, he took on a softer edge that made him just the right combination of dark and light.

And then, of course, things had to go to crap because, well, you don't erase that Montana-sized martyr complex and years of conditioning to think you're not ever going to be good enough overnight. But, Garth's and Josie's road back to one another, and Jesse's and Rowan's hand in it, was the best part of this book.

There is a lot of Jesse and Rowan in Finders Keepers. Since they are both very good friends with Garth and Josie, they play key roles in their story. The steam quotient is pretty low in Finders Keepers, but the sexual tension between Garth and Josie was perfect.

Garth and Josie make such a perfect couple, and that made for a perfect story.

(From Goodreads) Livy has never known
pure desire like this. The gorgeous Miller Hart captivates her, seduces
her, and worships her in deliciously sinful ways. He knows her innermost
thoughts, drawing her ever deeper into his dangerous world.

Miller
will do anything to keep Livy safe, even if it means risking his own
life. But his dark history isn't the only thing that threatens their
future together. As the truth of Livy's family legacy unravels, an
unsettling parallel between past and present comes to light. Her world
spinning out of control, Livy finds herself caught between the rapture
of an all-consuming love-and a deadly obsession that could destroy them
both . . .

After a slow start to Jodi Ellen Malpas' One Night series, I thought each book got better and better, with ONE NIGHT UNVEILED being the best of them all, as it should be for the final book. Unveiled is the culmination of everything that has happened so far to Olivia and Miller. There's a lot of drama, a lot of danger, and of course, a lot of sex. And the best part is that JEM wrapped up all the loose ends, and for that, I thank her so much.Miller and Olivia are hiding out in New York until Olivia's Nan falls ill and they are forced to return to London to help her and to face the music. It's the last thing Miller wants to do - return to the den of lions that are out for blood, when everything in him is screaming to keep Livy safe. But, Miller's puppet masters are demanding he return to work. And Olivia is determined to try and cobble together a normal life and a normal relationship with Miller by her side. By any means necessary.Unveiled was one intense book. I mean, Miller is an intense guy, so it would stand to reason. For all his waffling back and forth earlier in the series about whether he could or couldn't be with Olivia, he certainly has made up his mind now. Miller is not letting Olivia go, no matter what. Finally, this man made me feel something. When it came to Olivia, Miller was passionate beyond reason. I freaking LOVED that about him. It was clear that he would do anything, give anything, be anything he needed in order to keep Olivia in his life. The one thing about having a relationship with a guy like Miller - it toughens you up. Olivia is no longer the wimpy, sheltered girl from book 1. She is ready to fight for her man and for the life she wants. She will take on whomever she needs to in order to make that happen. In Unveiled, she takes on Miller's former girlfriend, his former clients, and his former boss. She handles her own former boss, as well as her pushy grandmother, like a pro. I really liked this Olivia. Everything comes to a head in Unveiled. Miller is trying to keep Olivia safe and a secret because he knows that if the people who own him find out about her, he will never be able to get out, because they will know that she is his ultimate weakness. The best laid plans, right? He spends half his time trying to protect her, and the other half trying to find a way out of his job. Meanwhile, William is trying to help as much as he can, but neither Miller nor Olivia are exactly clamoring for his assistance. Especially when Livy's mother makes an appearance and complicates things even further, and it appears that William knew all along that she was there. William's motives are not always clear. Sometimes he seems like the good guy. Sometimes he doesn't. In true JEM fashion, secrets were revealed at the end that I never knew existed. Some of them I had a few inklings about. Others completely blindsided me. I love stuff like that. I love to be surprised and wowed. And, she found a creative way out of Miller's and Olivia's seemingly impossible situation, which was pretty awesome. There aren't many light and silly moments in Unveiled, but when we do see them, they usually involve Olivia's Nan. And, thank goodness for her presence, because Unveiled was emotional and scary and sad and intense. It had twists and turns and I was blindsided more than once. And the final chapter from Miller's POV was the absolute icing on the cake. So, even if you had trouble with the start of this series, I ask you to stick it out all the way to the end. You won't be sorry.

February 19, 2015

I'm so in love with Lauren Blakely's Seductive Nights series. FORBIDDEN NIGHTS is the fifth book in the series, and is the long-anticipated story of Nate and Casey. And it's one of the hottest ones yet. Check out my review of Forbidden Nights, and if you haven't read it yet (WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!), there's an excerpt down there too. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a $25 GC to Victoria's Secret!

(From Goodreads) Sinfully sexy hotel CEO
Nate Harper knows exactly how to please a woman. He's equally skilled in
keeping his heart safe from the kind of hurt his ex inflicted on him
years ago. But one thing he's not so good at what-so-ever is getting his
mind and all his dirty thoughts off the gorgeous, outgoing, and
absolutely captivating Casey Sullivan, the new head of the Joy Delivered
company.They've been friends for years now, and Casey trusts Nate
completely. So it makes perfect sense to her to ask him for hands-on
guidance when she finds herself in need of some of his romantic
expertise.The trouble is, his heart may be signing up for more than
it bargained for when he agrees to help her learn to abandon her need
for control in the bedroom. Because as she experiences what it means to
let go, he'll start to experience what it means to feel again...

But what happens when all those forbidden nights turn into a deeper connection that's much more than expected?

Holy smokes, was this a scorching hot book. Nate was absolutely it for me. He was alpha and protective and sweet and attentive all in one gorgeous package. And, gosh darn it, he's a really good friend, too. Nate is very good friends with sex toy company owner Casey, and has been for years. He's also been harboring a pretty serious crush on her too. Casey is fresh off yet another breakup with a man who couldn't handle her take-charge attitude. In a flash of brilliance, Casey asks Nate to help her be more submissive. Nate's dream is coming true - he finally has the chance to get Casey out of his system and still remain friends with her. Okay. Now, how many times have we heard of friends who decide to have sex to either scratch an itch or to teach a lesson of some sort, and they actually think that nothing will change? Sure, the story may have been told before, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable. For my part, I just really love Lauren Blakely's story telling. Her characters are so cool. I mean, Casey owns a sex toy company, and Nate owns a bunch of hotels. I loved all the marketing ideas that Lauren Blakely infused into this story. There was plenty of opportunity for both Nate and Casey to demonstrate their business prowess, which definitely solidified them as dominant personalities. And, therein lies the main point of the story. Casey isn't secure in her alpha female status. She's dated some losers who put her down because she likes to take charge, and now her confidence is shaken. She thinks she needs to change herself in order to be a suitable catch for a man. I felt really bad for Casey. I liked her so much, and I hated that guys had been so insecure in their manhood as to not be able to put up with a confident woman. And, they made her feel so bad that she thought she had to change. My heart went out to her. Nate responded to her story exactly the way he should have. He likes her just the way she is. He tells her that she shouldn't ever be asked to change herself for some guy who doesn't have enough stones to give up control every now and again. He says just the right things. And, when Casey asks him to teach her how to be submissive in the bedroom, he jumps at the chance. For Casey, this might have started out as just an experiment with a friend, but for Nate, it was the realization of a dream. He's had a thing for Casey forever, and now he gets to put his hands all over her. But, really. It could never stay like that, now could it. You throw sex in any mix, and you're asking for serious complications, and anyone who thinks otherwise is crazy.

And, as suspected, complications - in the form of feelings - develop. I know - shocking, right? Casey is especially rocked by the turn of events, but thankfully, she handles it well. Nate is along for the ride and hoping it all works out for him like it did for his friends Clay and Julia. And, the culmination of Nate's lessons of submission happen at Clay and Julia's destination wedding. It's a perfect ending to this sexy book. I fell in love with Nate right along with Casey - I could read about them over and over again.

He threw the napkin on the table and reached for her hand. Her expression was one of complete surprise. “Dance with me.”

Her lips quirked up and she seemed to understand what he’d done. Given her an order. She nodded demurely and he led her to a small sliver of a dance floor, near where the woman with the microphone was singing a Billie Holiday number. He pulled Casey in close. She tensed briefly, as if unsure where to rest her hands, whether on his shoulders or waist. He planted them firmly on his shoulders, and wrapped his arms around her sexy, slim waist that fit perfectly in his hands.

“Just relax and let me lead,” he said, whispering in her ear, a waft of her tropical scent drifting by his nostrils. She shivered briefly against him, and that nearly did him in. He stayed strong, swaying gently, guiding her in slow, sensuous moves. “I’ll show you how to let go, but you have to trust me. And that’s where it starts. With trust. I’m not a Dom, you’re not my Sub—we’re not going to join a BDSM club, or sign a contract. But I can show you how good it will feel when you give up control.”

She breathed in sharply, as if acclimating to new air on a distant planet. “Why do men like a woman to give up control? What is it about the lack of control that men like so much?”

“It’s not that they like a lack of control. But a man wants a woman who gives herself to him. He wants a woman to melt into his arms, to get aroused from a kiss on the back of her neck,” he said, and traced a fingertip gently under her hair, watching her reaction as she drew in a breath. “It’s the hand on her arm.” He trailed his fingers down her bare skin to her elbow as he leaned in to whisper, “Or warm breath near her ear.” She gasped, and he kept going. “He wants a woman who’s so turned on, she’ll nearly beg for it. He wants her abandon. He wants to be the only one to make her feel that way.”

She parted her lips to speak, but he shushed her with his fingertip against them. God, he was so tempted to let her suck on his finger right now, to watch her simulate a blow job, to let her show him what she could do. But that would come later. He needed to kiss her first.

That is, after he teased her.

“At some point soon, some point very, very soon, I’m going to kiss you,” he said, watching the expression in her eyes shift to a heady kind of desire. Her fingers curved into his shoulders, holding on tightly to him. “You’re going to close your eyes,” he said, and then her lids fluttered closed. “And you’re not going to know when it’s coming. You’re going to want it. Your body is going to be crying out for a kiss,” he said, his voice husky and raw as her chest rose and fell, and she moved closer to him as they swayed. He cupped the back of her neck, watching her response to every touch, from the way her lips parted as he threaded his hands through her hair, to how she leaned back into him, almost relishing the way his fingers ran slowly through those soft, wavy strands. A sigh came next, a desperate needy sigh, and a barely-there arch of her back, her body seeking out more contact. “But I might not kiss you yet. I might run my hands down your arms,” he said, then did just that. “Or maybe I’ll stop telling you what I’m going to do.”

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in her novel, FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. She loves hearing from readers! Her bestselling series include Caught Up in Love, Seductive Nights, and Fighting Fire. She recently released Nights With Him, a standalone novel in her New York Times Bestselling Seductive Nights series that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. Her next book in that series is Forbidden Nights, releasing in early 2015. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, text BLAKELY + your email address to 678-249-3375 (please use the actual + sign).

I'm so thrilled that the Seductive Nights
erotic romance series is continuing with a new installment starring a new
couple! This series has been such a joy to write since it started as a fan-driven
series, with Julia and Clay, and then Jack and Michelle, and now this
this new novel is about Nate and Casey. Readers requested that I write
their story next, so I did! FORBIDDEN NIGHTS can be read without having
read the earlier books. (Though,
why wouldn't you want to meet the other couples?!)

I can't wait to introduce readers to
Nate Harper and Casey Sullivan. They’re a dynamic duo and many
early readers are saying this is their favorite story yet! Nate knows
exactly who, and what he wants, and is thrilled when the opportunity
he’s dreamed about for years presents herself to him. Expect many
steamy encounters between these two!

(From Goodreads) Carolina Cold Fury star
Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun.
Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the
red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the
fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his
type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he
pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women
don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret.
While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live
to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical
issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no
guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no
for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t
help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking
everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

You remember Garrett, right? He's the newest member of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team, resident wiseass, and Alex's best friend. Garrett's a total ladies man, never to make any meaningful connections with any one woman. Until he meets Olivia at a party. That moment changed everything for him. He didn't know it, but Olivia's life changed earlier that day with some bad news from her doctor. Despite the attraction she and Garrett feel toward each other, she just can't allow herself to fully be with him and saddle him with that kind of baggage. Garrett isn't the kind of guy to take that lying down though.Garrett is my favorite kind of guy. He's a fun-loving free spirit with a good heart. He's not a "bad boy" in the typical sense of the phrase. He really is a very good person. He spends time with Sutton's little brother. He has guy time with Alex. He attends all the team events and chats up his team mates and their families. And, he's a really good hockey player who loves the game. But, he's never been keen to settle down with one woman like Alex did. Olivia is creative and happy and content. She has good friends and family who care about her. And then she gets the news that rocks her world. She has to undergo treatment for a potentially life-threatening illness. And, the day she finds out, her cousin Sutton invites her to a hockey party to take her mind off of things. It's there that she meets Garrett, who, of course, hits on her. She makes quite an impression on him because, even though she turns him down, he presses Sutton for information about her and seeks her out the next day. The thing I liked most about Olivia is that she just got this awful news and still seems determined to live as much as she can. Sure, she doesn't tell Garrett the whole truth. She doesn't want him to coddle her or, worse yet, reject her because of her illness. But, she doesn't dismiss the idea of being with him at all. She knows he doesn't do relationships and figures that's perfect for her situation anyway. Famous last words, right? How many times do we read about two people entering into a "no-strings" relationship, and then 100 pages later, real feelings start to surface? The thing about Garrett is, though, unlike most guys like him, he doesn't shy away from those feelings. And, when Olivia's whole situation becomes clear (because, really, you can't hide that kind of thing forever), he doesn't shy away from that, either. In fact, just the opposite. He makes it his life's mission to do whatever Olivia needs. And, in the process, he drives her completely nuts. Garrett was unbelievable. I never figured him to be one of those stand-up guys who stares responsibility and grown-up problems in the face and doesn't back down. But, he really was. When he realizes how he feels, he owns it. And, when he realizes everything that comes with being with Olivia, he owns that too. This man - GAH. He was just so incredibly perfect. People, the epilogue... I just can't. It was so perfect. I couldn't have imagined a better ending to this story. Sawyer Bennett has me hooked on these Cold Fury hockey players. Both Alex and now Garrett completely rocked my world. And, events in Garrett set the stage for the third book in the series, Zack. It's a heartbreaker, too. Since the books keep getting better and better, I expect nothing less than something amazing.

February 17, 2015

If the gorgeous cover and intriguing premise of Kim Karr's new sexy adult contemporary standalone, THE 27 CLUB, don't draw you in... this excerpt will. Read on for a sneak peak at this new book, out on March 3.

(Synopsis) You don’t know when…You don’t get to choose if…When it’s time to join…you’ll know.

You
might think you want to be a member—but trust me this is one club you
don’t want to join. It’s not a place where people go to live out their
deepest, darkest sexual desires—there are no handcuffs or blindfolds.

The
27 Club only admits those who die young and tragically. My brother was
recently bestowed membership and joined many of our ancestors before
him. I know I’m next. This is my destiny, and I was ready to yield.

But
then I met Nate. He awakened a sensuality in me that had never been
explored, never satisfied. I knew then I could no longer accept my
destiny. Nate’s presence controls me. I’m overwhelmed by his touch, his
words; my every thought is consumed by desire. I believe he was brought
into my life for a reason.

Nate doesn’t believe in destiny.

But I do.

And if there’s a way to cheat it—I must.

The wind howls and the palm trees whip against the windows as the storm seems to make its way closer to landfall. Thunder booms and lightning lights up the room, startling me. No, not lightning—a lamp.

“Hello, Zoey.” The voice is deep and husky.

As the sound registers, I scream. I quickly sit up and scan my unfamiliar surroundings. My eyes immediately land on the silhouette of a man standing beside me, and I scream again, this time scrambling off the bed in terror.

The man raises his palms up in surrender. “Zoey, I’m Nate, Z’s friend. You don’t have to be scared. I’m not going to hurt you.”

My fear must be evident. I stare at him for a few long moments, both alarmed and trembling. Only once realization sets in, that yes, this is Nate, my brother’s best friend, do I attempt to calm my ragged breaths.

He takes a cautious step back. “Just cover up with something so we can talk.”

Oh my God, my clothes.

Tangled sheets catch on my limbs as I climb back onto the bed and unsuccessfully try to pull the covers over my practically naked body. Before humiliation grabs complete hold of me, I give up and dive for my soaking wet shirt lying on the floor.

Sliding the cold fabric over my head, I pull it down to cover my panties and stand up, quickly crossing my arms over my chest to shield any signs of the chill I’m feeling.

Not great, but better. At least I can look at him with a little dignity.

Finally, I glance up and my gaze catches his. As soon as it does, he drops his eyes.

The photos I’ve seen of him over the years, when my brother would text me a funny shot—a selfie of him and Nate at some top chef restaurant, at the beach, or at a coffee house—didn’t nearly do him justice. Those shots were goofy poses with baseball caps turned backwards and funny faces. Not that I didn’t think he was good looking in them, because I did, but there’s just something different about him.

I blink and focus on the matter at hand. “You scared the shit out of me. What are you doing here?”

Staring at the ground, he leans against the door jam. “You beat me to the punch. I was just about to ask you the same question.”

“Why would you ask me that?”

He raises a brow. “I guess I’m just curious.”

I sigh, feeling confused.

His gaze lifts, and those eyes, those bewitching emerald green eyes, stare back at me. “Not that I mind that you’re here. It’s just—a little warning would have been nice. That’s all.”

His tone is more bemused than apologetic.

I’m not sure what to think.

With a straight and confident stance, I clear my throat. “I e-mailed you earlier today to let you know that I was coming for the weekend. I’m really sorry about the late notice, but I decided at the last minute.”

He reaches into the pocket of his low-slung jeans and pulls out his phone. After a few taps and scrolls he looks up at me. “I guess you did. Here it is. I’m usually on top of my e-mails but today my . . . schedule was full. Had I seen your message, I would have tried to rearrange my plans.”

“That’s fine really. I managed. It’s not a big deal.”

I steal a glance at my reliable Timex—just after midnight. What is he doing in my brother’s house in the middle of the night? Just as I’m about to ask him, my eyes catch sight of the way he predatorily walks around the room and I’m momentarily distracted. He moves like a panther— slowly circling his prey, keeping his distance, not too close, but close enough to pounce if he feels the urge. He settles back against the wall, just a little closer now. “Zoey, did you hear me?”

I swallow. “Sorry, what?”

His tone grows more insistent. “I said I would have at least sent a car for you. You shouldn’t be out in this weather on your own.”

My brow furrows. Why is he still talking about the airport?

When I don’t respond, he crosses his arms over his chest like he owns the place.

It’s then that reality sinks in. And as cliché as this sounds, I am not going to let Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome intimidate me. It’s time to take charge. “There was no need. I managed just fine. But if you didn’t know I was coming, can I ask what you’re doing here?”

Confusion seems to have taken over his thoughts as he steps even closer—moving with a lethal grace that makes my body start to hum. I can’t help but study him as his features come into clear focus. His body is long and lean. His hair is dark, the most unusual shade of brown, maybe like the color of expensive chocolate, but not exactly. His eyes are languid, watchful, and the most beautiful shade I’ve ever seen—darker than emeralds or the deepest of forest greens. His lips look full and soft. He is handsome in a way that is unlike anyone I’ve ever seen.

My mind is going haywire.

A look of realization seems to cross his face as he stares at me.

“Nate, why are you at my brother’s house in the middle of the night?” I ask him again.

With a smirk, he ignores my question. Instead of answering me, he opens the door beside him. It’s a closet, Zach’s closet to be exact, and he steps right in, again like he owns the place.

“What are you doing?” I ask impatiently.

He comes back into the bedroom with a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt in his hand. “You’re trembling. How about you get changed and we sit down to talk?”

The audacity of this man is beyond comprehension. From his e-mails he seemed nice, but then again, you never can tell what lurks behind the words on a computer screen.

He stares and his small smirk really irritates me. “Take these, they’re mine. I’ll wait downstairs while you get changed.”

If I weren’t standing here, chilled and in my underwear, I might just tell him to go to hell. But instead I reach for the clothes, and as I do, I start to wonder if he’s been squatting in my brother’s house. Once the clothes are in my hands, his mouth spreads into a slow, easy grin.

Annoyance grabs hold of me as I pivot on my bare feet and head toward the bathroom, making sure not to glance over my shoulder. When I hear heavy footsteps, I let my body fall back and shut everything out of my mind for a few short seconds.

What is going on?

When I’ve gathered my composure, I quickly strip out of my wet clothes and redress. Then I make the mistake of looking in the mirror. A wet dog would look better than I do right now. In an effort to improve the image, I grab a towel and wipe the black mascara from under my eyes. Then I use my fingers to comb through my mass of curls and try to calm them, but that’s nearly impossible.

Okay, better—but not great.

Who cares anyway?

It’s not like I’m trying to impress him. In fact, I’ve never tried to impress a man.

Ever.

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I've always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing. Learn more about Kim --> Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads